Cigar lighter



Aug. 21, 1934. J. SINKO CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Oct. 1930 w Jbhm/ Sin/I00,

@PWYWCM Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to electric cigar lighters of the class used on automobiles, and has reference more particularly to a type commonly known as wireless lighters which are characterized by the provision of a holder member mounted on the dash or other part of the car body and carrying a terminal Contact wired to the battery, and a plug member comprising a hand piece carrying an igniter element and a cooperating terminal contact, the plug member being moved on or in the holder member to close the circuit through said contacts and held in such position until the igniter element has become heated to incandescence, and then removed from the holder member for use. i

In some more recent developments of this wire-= less type of cigar lighter, it has been proposed to close the outer end of the removable hand piece or plug and mount the igniter element either on the inner end of the plug or within a socket opening through its inner end. This con-- struction has one pronounced advantage over the older construction wherein the igniter element was mounted in the open outer end of the plug, in that it prevents danger of accidentally burning the thumb or finger of the user when the plug is pushed inwardly or otherwise moved to close the circuit and heat the igniter.

Still another improvement in the type of wire less lighter last referred to consists in the pro vision of a window in the outer closed end of the plug which displays a light when the igniter is heated to incandescence, and thus gives a signal to the user when to withdraw the plug, and in an application filed by me April 25, 1930, Serial No. 447,152, I have disclosed and claimed a wireless lighter wherein the plug holder is formed with one or more windows which display the light when the igniter is heated to incandescence.

One feature of my present invention resides in another means for displaying the light signal when the igniter is heated, consisting essentially of a plug of translucent material, and such a formation of the igniter mounting, contactterminal devices, and telescoping elements of the plug and its holder as permits the light from the heated igniter to reach and pass through the walls of the translucent plug.

In most cigar lighters of this type wherein the igniter is located in a socket opening through the inner end of the plug, central contact terminals onthe holder and plug are employed to close the circuit when the plug is pushed in. A central terminalon the plug not infrequently becomes coated or covered with cigar ash which insulates it from the central terminal on the holder, and this ash coating must be cleaned oil before the device is again operative. Another improvement contemplated by my present invention resides in an improved construction which elimnates central contact terminals on the plug and holder, thus obviating the above noted fault.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art as the same becomes better understood as by reference to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal axial section or the lgniter and its mounting means, showing the contact terminals separated.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the plug pushed inwardly and the contact terminals closed to heat the igniter.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the plug holder.

Fig. 4 is an inner end elevation of the removable plug.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates as a whole a U-shaped attaching bracket, the forward upstanding limb 10 of which carries the lighter, and the rear upstanding limb 10 of which carries a binding screw ill by which the bracket may be clamped on the lower edge of an instrument board. The lower horizontal limb of the bracket and the lower portion of the forward limb 10 are preferably slotted as shown, to facilitate the passage of a circuit wire, and them limb 10 is also formed with a circular opening 10.

Fitted in the circular opening 10 of the bracket is the hollow shank 12 of a hollow cylindrical post 12 that forms an internal support for the plug member. The outer end of the shank 12 is swaged over the outer end of the opening 10 to lock the post l2'to the bracket, and between the base of the post 12 and the bracket is clamped a circular plate 13 formed on its outer periphery 100 with a forwardlyprojecting hollow bead 13 that formsboth an escutcheon ring and an external holder for the plug. The hollow post 12 is formed near its base with an annular cam shoulder. 12 for a purpose later explained.

Tightly fitted within the hollow post 12 is a shallow cup-shaped member 14 formed with a central hollow boss 14 that is centrally apertured to receive a tubular wire clamp 15, into which the end 16 of the circuit wire is entered and locked 110 by pinching the walls of the clamp thereon, as shown at 15*. The clamp 15 is insulated from the boss .14 in which it is mounted by suitable washers 16'. Mounted on the tubular clamp 15 is a disc 17 formed on its outer periphery with a group of forwardly projecting spaced contact terminal fingers 17, four of such fingers being herein shown, although a greater or less number may be employed. The disc 17 and the insulating washers 16' are all clamped together on the tubular wire clamp 15 by an integral flange 15 on the latter, bearing against the disc 17 and a metal washer 18 overlying the outer insulating washer 16, the outer end of the tubular clamp 15 being swaged over said washer 18 Describing now the removable plug member which carries the igniter element, 19 designates the hollow body or shell of the plug, which is made of any suitable translucent insulating material, such, for examples, as glass or a translucent bakelite. The inner portion of this plug is of an external diameter such as to snugly fit within the bead 13 of the holder. The outer wall of the plug 19 is centrally socketed and tapped to take a metal plug 20, this latter being also axially bored and tapped to receive a post 21. 'Mounted on the post 21 and bearing against the inner face of the plug 20 is a metal disc 22 formed with a plurality of spaced outwardly directed spring arms 22 that normally telescope over the post 12 with a snug sliding fit, as shown in Fig. 1. By reference to Fig. 5 it will be observed that the portion of the post 21 that extends through the disc 22 and is screwed into the metal plug 20 is flattened on opposite sides, and the hole in the disc 22 is shaped to fit this flattened portion of the post. The purpose and advantage of this construction will later appear. The free ends of the arms 22' are outwardly flared, as shown at 22 so that, when the plug is pushed in, the free ends of the arms ride up on the cam shoulder 12 of the post, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the plug is released, the free ends of the arms ride down ofi the cam shoulder by virtue of their resilient contracting tendency, and thus move the plug outward slightly to break the circuit. This last described feature forms in part the subject matter of an application heretofore filed by me on the 8th day of August, 1930, Serial No. 473,792, and no claim thereto is made herein.

On the post 21 are mounted a nut 23 and a spacing washer 24, and beyond the washer 24 is mounted on the post a disc 25 that is formed on its outer periphery with a group of forwardly projecting spaced contact terminal fingers 25, four as herein shown, ihat, when the plug is pushed inwardly, contact with the terminal fingers 17 of the plug holder, as shown in Fig. 2. The disc 25 carrying the fingers 25" is insulated from the post 21 as by washers 26, and the assembly is clamped on the post by a nut 27. The inner end of the post 21 is kerfed to receive the inner end of the igniter coil 28, the outer end of which coil is hooked through one of the terminal contact fingers 25 as shown at 28 When the plug is pushed inwardly as shown in Fig. 2, the circuit is through the wire 16, wire clamp 15, disc 17 and its fingers 17 and fingers 25, to the outer end of the ignition coil 28, through the latter to post 21, thence through disc 22 and arms 22 to post 12, and through the latter to bracket 10 and thence to ground. When the plug is replaced, after use, it occupies the position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the contact terminal fingers 17 and 25 are separated. V

Should the plug be pushed inwardly too far, when released it automatically backs off to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus maintaining the circuit open when the plug is not in use.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the contact terminal fingers 25 and also the spring arms 22 are separated by wide V-shaped openings between their inner or shank portions that register with each other, as a result of which the light emitted by the incandescent lighter coil is readily visible through the translucent front wall of the plug shell 19, thus indicating to the user when the plug is ready to be withdrawn for use. It will also be observed that the described structure does away with the usual central contact terminal in the plug, thus reducing the liability of the contact terminal becoming accidentally insulated by cigar ash.

By mounting the disc 22 non-rotatably on the threaded post 21, said disc and the remaining parts carried by the post can all be assembled on the latter, and the entire assembly can then be mounted in the plug 20 by entering the threaded end of the post in the tapped bore of the plug and rotating the assembly by the thumb or finger or any suitable tool applied to the fingers 22. Also, in the event that cigar ash collects between the fingers 22 and 25, which would more or less obstruct the light rays from the igniter, the assembly can be similarly unscrewed and removed and the ash blown out, thus facilitating the cleaning of the device.

It may also be mentioned that the spacing of the contact fingers 17 of the holder facilitates the pinching or crimping of the wire clamp by cooperating die members entered through opposed spaces between said fingers.

It will also be seen that the plug is telescopically supported internally by the post 12 and also externally by the annular bead 13, so that the plug is securely held frictionally against accidental displacement by vibration of the instrument board on which the lighter is mounted.

I have herein shown and described one satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but mani festly many of the structural details may be modified without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Hence I do not limit the invention to the exact structure shown, but reserve such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purview of the claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric cigar lighter, the combination with a hollow plug-supporting member, and a hollow plug of translucent material, of a disc secured to the inner side of the front wall of said plug, and formed with outwardly directed spaced spring arms telescopingly engageable over said supporting member, an igniter coil mounted in said plug within said arms, a circuit-controlling contact finger mounted in said plug and disposed opposite the periphery of said coil and electrically connected to the outer end of the latter, and a similar contact finger mounted in said supporting member disposed in endwise opposed relation to said first-named contact finger.

2. In an electric cigar lighter, the combination with a hollow plug-supporting member and a hollow plug of translucent material, of a post mounted in and coaxially with said plug, a metal disc mounted on said post and formed with outwardly directed spaced spring arms telescopingly engageable over said supporting member, an igniter coil mounted in said plug within said arms,

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Levon 1 a group of spaced circuit-controlling contact fingers in said plug surrounding said coil and electrically connected to the outer end of the latter, and a corresponding group of circuit-con trolling contact fingers in said supporting mem ber opposed endwise to said first-named contact fingers.

3. In an electric cigar lighter, the combination of an electrically grounded hollow plug-supporting member, a circuit-wire clamp mounted in and insulated from said supporting member, a circuitcontrolling contact finger disposed laterally of and electrically connected to said clamp, a hollow plug, spring arms mounted in said plug and telescopingly engageable over said supporting member, a post mounted in and coaxially with said plug and electrically connected to said spring arms, an igniter coil connected at its inner end to the inner end of said post, and a circuit-controlling contact finger mounted on and insulated from said post and disposed opposite the periphery of said coil and electrically connected to the outer end of said coil, said contact fingers adapted to meet and separate endwise to close and open the circuit under in and out sliding movements of said plug on its supporting member.

4i, In an electric cigar lighter, the combination of a hollow plug member formed with a solid im= perforate front wall having a tapped hole, a threaded post engaged with said hole, a disc nonrotatably mounted on said post and formed with portions adapted to telescopingly engage with a plug support, a contact terminal member mounted on and insulated from said post, and an igniter coil mounted on the inner end of said post.

5. In an electric cigar lighter, the combination of a hollow plug member formed with a solid imperforate front wall having a tapped hole, a threaded post having a flattened portion engaged with said hole, a disc formed with a hole shaped to fit said flattened portion of the post by which it is mounted on the latter, said disc carrying spring arms adapted to telescopingly engage with a plug support, a contact terminal member mounted on and insulated from said post and an igniter coil mounted on the inner end of said post.

6. In an electric cigar lighter, the combina tion of a hollow plug member formed with an im perforate front wall having a socket in its inner side, a post mounted in said socket, a disc mounted on said post and formed with portions adapted to telescopingly engage with a plug support, a contact terminal member mounted on and in-= sulated from said post, and an igniter element mounted on the inner end of said post and electrically connected to the latter and to said contact terminal member.

JOHN SO.

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